SIP, sip, hooray! The hot weather has had me me in the mood for a G&T.
But rather than splash out on a fancy gin, I spoke to Alysia Vasey, of Yorkshire Foragers Produce, about how to flavour my own at home.
She recommends a bottle of London dry gin, £11 for 70cl at Morrisons, as a base for these recipes of hers . . .
The spicy one: Pick your favourite spices — such as fresh nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamon, fennel seeds, pink peppercorns, dried lemon or orange zest.
Put them into a piece of muslin cloth and tie it up tightly.
Pop this into a large kilner jar and top up with your gin.
Give the jar a shake every day for around three weeks.
My tip: Save 35p on Schwartz spices and seasonings at Tesco.
The home-grown one: Pick rose petals, rinse and dry them and put them into your kilner jar with 1 tbsp of white sugar and leave for a month.
This will need straining when ready.
Add a drop of red food colouring.
My tip: Grab red food colouring for 79p at Asda — cheaper than the £1 colouring at Sainsbury’s.
The fruity one: Pop three herbal-infusion tea bags of any flavour into the kilner jar with the gin.
Shake and leave them to do their magic until you enjoy the taste.
I particularly like Twinings’ cranberry and raspberry tea bags.
My tip: A box of 20 Twinings cranberry and raspberry tea bags is on offer for £1.50 at Sainsbury’s.
But if you head to Aldi, you can get 40 fruit berries tea bags for just 75p.
The burnt one: Take three firm oranges and slice thickly.
Then carefully use a hot griddle pan to burn the orange slices on one side only.
Pop them into a Kilner jar followed by 1 tbsp of soft brown sugar and your plain gin.
Leave to infuse for a week or so.
My tip: You can buy three individual oranges for 35p each at Tesco — far cheaper than buying a pack of four Jaffa oranges for £2.
- To find out more about Alysia and her delicious recipes, check out her book The Yorkshire Forager (£20, Headline).
Deal of the day
DINE in this week with the help of the Tesco Finest meal deal.
Grab a main, side, dessert and a drink for just £10.
Try the pesto and parmigiano chicken.
Save: Up to £8.60
Cheap treat
SIP for less at Asda, with two selected bottles of wine for £10.
You can save up to £6.
I like the Hardys Nottage Hill sauvignon blanc. Usually £7 a bottle.
Save: Up to £6
